From abortion to pot, the ten most important ballot issues of 2012 election

Along with deciding the future of the presidency and the makeup of both houses in Congress, voters in some states will have the ability to act as lawmakers themselves during next week’s election.

Thirty-eight states have ballot measures that will be in play on Nov. 6 and though many deal with issues such as taxes and administrative issues, other states will decide on hot-button national topics.

Here are 10 ballot measure issues to look out for during this election season.

1. States reacting to ‘Obamacare’

Six states have ballot measures dealing with health care, likely a response to the passage and Supreme Court affirmation of the Affordable Care Act. Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Montana and Wyoming all have proposals countering the act known as Obamacare. Likewise, Louisiana has a proposal to protect the state Medicaid trust fund for the elderly from budget cuts. Arizona has a pending amendment that would allow voters to reject federal actions, such as an individual mandate on health insurance, via referendum.

2. Marijuana: Legalize it?

Washington, Oregon and Colorado all have proposed amendments to make marijuana legal for recreational use. All three states currently allow for the use of cannabis for medical purposes and Colorado and Oregon both have removed jail time for possessing small amounts of marijuana. Massachusetts and Arkansas have proposed amendments to allow marijuana use for medicinal purposes, which could add them to the other 17 states that allow the use of medical marijuana. Meanwhile Montana is seeking to repeal its medical marijuana law in exchange for a new system.

3. Same-sex marriage

Maine voters will have the opportunity to overturn the state’s ban on gay marriage. Maine has a referendum that would allow gay couple to obtain a civil marriage license and Washington has a similar referendum addressing gay marriage. Maryland has a question on its ballot to approve civil marriage licenses for gays. Minnesota has a proposed amendment banning gay marriage.

4. Swing states topics

All but four swing states (North Carolina, Iowa, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania) will have initiatives on their ballots on Nov. 6, but some could prove to be more influential in motivating voter turnout. As previously stated, Colorado has proposed amendments to legalize marijuana for recreational use, but it also has an amendment to prohibit corporate contributions and expenditures in elections, both of which could draw liberal voters.

Florida has proposed amendments to prevent penalties for not purchasing health care, to prevent public funding for abortions and to repeal the ban on public dollars for religious funding, appealing to Christian conservatives.

New Hampshire has a proposed amendment banning increases on income tax, which also could appeal to conservative voters.

5. Three strikes, you’re out

California has a proposal to modify it’s “Three Strikes” policy which requires repeat criminals to serve 25-years to life in prison after their third conviction. The initiative calls for the policy to be implemented only on criminals that have committed a “violent or serious” crime or for those who are previously convicted of rape, murder or child molestation.

California also has a measure calling for the end of the death penalty.

6. Sticking to their guns

A handful of solidly red states are attempting to bolster their second amendment rights through the use of ballot measures. Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska and Wyoming all have amendments solidifying hunting and fishing rights and/or gun rights.

7. Issues of race and immigration

The topics of race and immigration have manifested in a variety of ways on ballots across the country, some of which touch on the issues of immigration and voter identification that have been brought up time and again during the presidential campaign.

Maryland has a proposal to allow illegal immigrants to be charge in-state tuition for public universities.

Montana has a proposal that would require citizens to show proof of citizenship when seeking state services and Minnesota has a proposed voter identification law.

Oklahoma has a proposal to ban affirmative action in the state thus prohibiting special treatment based on race or sex in public employment, education and contracts.

8. Rules for redistricting

Three states are re-examining their redrawn congressional districts that were passed by their respective state legislatures after the 2010 Census report. California and Ohio are looking at the option outside groups drawing the new districts.

California already has this system and made use of it last year, the ballot measure is essentially asking voters if they want this format to stay intact. Meanwhile, Ohio voters will decide if they want the state to set up citizen’s commission to draw the districts.

Maryland voters will have the chance to approve or disapprove of their state’s redistricting plan.

9. Death with dignity

Massachusetts has a proposal to allow terminally ill patients to request their doctors to administer lethal drugs. The patient must be a mentally competent adult with a prognoses of six months or fewer to live by two doctors. Patients must make the request twice verbally and once through writing before the lethal medicine can be administered.

This is the eighth time a state has had an initiative for assisted suicide. Voters were in favor of death with dignity three out of the previous seven times.

10. Consent for abortion

Women’s health reproductive health issues have been another common theme in campaigns across the nation. Along with Florida’s proposal to ban the use of public dollars for abortions, Montana has a proposal that would require parental or legal guardian notification before girls under 16 can an abortion.

This is the tenth time a state has proposed a law such as this. Four out of the previous nine initiatives were passed.